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Benno Geiger Poetry Translation Prize

Acting in accordance with Elsa Geiger Ariè‘s bequest commemorating her father, the Giorgio Cini Foundation has announced the “Premio letterario Benno Geiger per la traduzione poetica” (The Benno Geiger Poetry Translation Prize), to be awarded for an Italian translation of a work of poetry from an ancient, medieval or modern Western language published in the last year.

Chaired by Francesco Zambon, the Prize Jury is made up of writers, critics, university lecturers and experts on translation: Shaul Bassi, Franco Buffoni, Fabrizio Cambi and Piero Taravacci.

The winning work will be awarded a cash prize of 5,000 euros. The work will be able to display the wording “Premio Benno Geiger 2014 per la traduzione poetica” on a wraparound band accompanying all copies of the work on sale in bookshops after the prize has been awarded.

The Giorgio Cini Foundation offers three scholarships each year, associated with the “Premio letterario Benno per la traduzione poetica”, for studies focused on the Benno Geiger Archive, which is preserved and developed on the Island of San Giorgio, as well as on other literary archives held by the Foundation.

The three scholarships lasting one month are offered to Italian and foreign graduates, postgraduates and postdoctoral researchers under the age of 35 on 31 January 2014. The scholarships must be used by staying at the Vittore Branca International Center for Studies of Italian Culture in the period from November 2014 to April 2015. Each scholarship worth is 2,000 euros.

PREMIO BENNO GEIGER PER LA TRADUZIONE POETICA

1) Acting in accordance with Elsa Geiger Ariè’s bequest commemorating her father, the Giorgio Cini Foundation has announced the “Premio letterario Benno Geiger per la traduzione poetica” (The Benno Geiger Poetry Translation Prize), to be awarded for an Italian translation of a work of poetry from an ancient, medieval or modern Western language published in the last year.

2) This annual prize is named after Benno Geiger (1882-1965), an Austrian writer and art critic who published important writings on the history of art and his own poetry. He also translated into German some Italian verse classics, such as Dante’s Divina Commedia, the Canzoniere and Trionfi by Petrarch and a selection of Pascoli’s lyrics. Having lived for most of his life in Venice, he was an adoptive Venetian. On his death, he left a large personal archive to the Giorgio Cini Foundation.

3) The prize jury is made up of writers, critics, university lecturers and experts on translation and has a duration of five years. The members of jury are Shaul Bassi, Franco Buffoni, Fabrizio Cambi and Piero Taravacci, while the chairperson is Francesco Zambon.

4) The prize is open to works of foreign poetry translated from ancient, mediaeval or modern Western languages into Italian and published for the first time between 16 May 2013 – 15 May 2014; books entered for the competition must be regularly on sale.

5) Any books with no specific date for the publication of the first edition (month and year), or which do not have enclosed a publisher’s statement to that effect, will not be taken into consideration. Narrative works or essays by foreign and Italian authors are excluded from the competition.

6) Publishers wishing to take part in the competition must send a copy of the book to the Prize Secretary’s Office in the Giorgio Cini Foundation (Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore, 30124 Venezia; premiogeiger@cini.it) before 31 May 2014 (i.e. the postmarked date). Similarly, by the same date 1 copy of the book must be sent to each of the five members of the jury, whose postal addresses will be communicated on request from the Prize Secretary’s Office.

7) The winning work will be awarded a cash prize of 5,000 euros. The work will be able to display the wording “Premio Benno Geiger 2014 per la traduzione poetica” on a wraparound band accompanying all copies of the work on sale in bookshops after the prize has been awarded.

8) The jury will meet to adjudge the winner of the 2014 edition of the prize in September. Once they have concluded the proceedings, the winner’s name will be announced, while the prize-winning ceremony will be held at the Giorgio Cini Foundation in Venice on 11 October 2014.

9) Barring unforeseeable major events, the winner must personally accept the prize.

BENNO GEIGER SCHOLASHIPS

1) The Giorgio Cini Foundation offers three scholarships each year for studies focused on the Benno Geiger Archive, which is preserved and developed on the Island of San Giorgio, as well as on other literary archives held by the Foundation. The scholarships are in accordance with Elsa Geiger Ariè’s will and are associated with the “Premio letterario Benno per la traduzione poetica”, an annual poetry translation prize, set up to commemorate her father.

2) The three scholarships lasting one month are offered to Italian and foreign graduates, postgraduates and postdoctoral researchers under the age of 35 on 31 January 2014. The scholarships must be used by staying at the Vittore Branca International Center for Studies of Italian Culture in the period from November 2014 to April 2015.

3) Each scholarship worth 2,000 euros will be divided as follows:
• a gross sum of 1,000 euros as a contribution to general expenses, travel and board. This sum will be paid in a single installment at the end of the one-month period by bank or postal order only. Non-Italians who are awarded a scholarship must obtain an Italian tax code, otherwise the funds cannot be paid.
• one month’s accommodation free of charge (worth 1,000 euros) in the Vittore Branca Center Residence on the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore as well as participation in its cultural events and the free use of its facilities (library and photo library, tutorships, accommodation with telephone and cable Internet connection, self-catering facilities, laundromat, food dispensers; common lounge, music room, fitness area and terrace).

4) Candidates should apply for selection to the Premio Geiger Secretary’s Office (c/o Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore, 30124 Venezia; premiogeiger@cini.it) by sending the relevant application form plus the following enclosed documents:
• degree certificate(s) with marks for individual exams, or an equivalent or superior qualification
• a copy of a degree dissertation (for post-grad students) or doctorate thesis (for postdoctoral researchers) and copies of any other relevant academic works stored on a digital medium (CD ROM or DVD)
• curriculum vitae, including knowledge of languages, and authorization to handle private data according to Italian Legislative Decree 196/2003, both on paper
• description on paper (around 1,500 words) of the research theme and academic project proposed by the candidate, specifying aims, time scale, and materials and documents that will be consulted at the Giorgio Cini Foundation
• three reference letters from professors and scholars who supervise or have supervised the candidate; the letters must be on headed notepaper of the relevant university or institution.

5) The deadline for applications is 30 June 2014. The applications bust be sent before this date.

6) The winners of the scholarships will be selected by the jury of the Premio Geiger when it convenes to choose the winner of the prize for the 2014 edition next September. At the end of the proceedings, the scholarship winners’ names will be communicated in writing and will be officially announced during the prize-awarding ceremony at the Giorgio Cini Foundation in Venice on 11 October 2014.

7) The Foundation will not normally return any of the documents received, although some documents may be returned on request and at the expense of the individual candidate. Anyone who is awarded a Geiger scholarship is not eligible to re-apply in subsequent years.

8) Scholarship holders must present their research project to the academic and professional community at the Foundation and the scholars and researchers at the Vittore Branca Center during the scholarship period. Moreover, they are required to report regularly to their academic supervisors or tutor on the status of their project in order to present a written report of around ten pages. Once completed, the scholarship must be mentioned, using the exact wording, in curriculum vitae and in any publications referring to the research carried out at the Giorgio Cini Foundation.

9) Scholarship holders are required to stay in the Residence continuously for one month in their chosen period. Days absent for personal reasons must be justified to the tutor and must not add up to more than 5 days overall; days absent are counted from Monday to Saturday; Sundays are excluded.

a) Personal data, whether requested or acquired, data concerning academic careers and in any case produced by the Fondazione Giorgio Cini pursuing its own functions, and data derived from automated handling of both, may be gathered, handled, communicated and given to outside agents for purposes associated with the Foundation’s institutional working and activities.

b) Providing personal data referred to in point a) is mandatory.
c) Data may be handled by manual, computerized and IT procedures suitable for managing data; this will be conducted in a way to guarantee their security and privacy.
d) Data subjects are entitled by art. 7 of the above-mentioned law to have access to data concerning them, including complementary rights, such as the right to cancel data that is inaccurate, incomplete or not gathered in conformity with the law, as well as the right to oppose the handling of their data for legitimate reasons.
The data controller is the Fondazione Giorgio Cini ONLUS, Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice.